Playoff Series Preview - Round 1 vs Swift Current
Published on March 26, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
The stage is set for a Trans-Canada Highway showdown between the Medicine Hat Tigers and Swift Current Broncos in the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien.
Medicine Hat (47-17-3-1) enters the postseason as the number one seed in the Eastern Conference after clinching the Central Division title in a dramatic 5-2 win over the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL's regular-season finale on Sunday night.
Star Tigers forward Gavin McKenna is the top-scoring player in the East with 129 points (41G-88A) in 56 games, while Captain Oasiz Wiebslatt also surpassed 100 points for the first time in his WHL career.
Swift Current (35-30-1-2) is back in the postseason for a second-straight year after a breakout performance from 2025 NHL Draft-eligible Luke Mistelbacher, who finished fourth in the WHL goals race with a career-best 42 tallies.
While this is the 1 vs.8 matchup, the Broncos are one of few teams who didn't post a losing record against the Tigers in the regular season.
The squads tied their series 2-2-0-0, with Swift Current winning their most recent meeting 5-3 on February 7, 2025.
Game 1 is set for Friday, March 28 at Co-Op Place in Medicine Hat before moving to Saskatchewan for Game 3 at Swift Current's InnovationPlex on Tuesday, April 1.
By The Numbers
Regular Season
Record
Medicine Hat
Overall - 47-17-3-1
League - 2nd
Eastern Conference - 1st
Central Division - 1st
Home - 25-7-2-0
Away - 22-10-1-1
Swift Current
Overall - 35-30-1-2
League - 14th
Eastern Conference - 8th
Central Division - 4th
Home - 21-12-1-0
Away - 14-18-0-2
Leading Scorers
Medicine Hat
Gavin McKenna - 56 GP - 41 G - 88 A - 129 PTS
Oasiz Wiesblatt - 66 GP - 36 G - 67 A - 103 PTS
Ryder Ritchie - 53 GP - 29 G - 32 A - 61 PTS
Swift Current
Luke Mistelbacher - 67 GP - 42 G - 51 A - 93 PTS
Clarke Caswell - 65 GP - 22 G - 62 A - 84 PTS
Carlin Dezainde - 67 GP - 34 G - 38 A - 72 PTS
Goaltenders
Medicine Hat
Harrison Meneghin - 36 GP - 23-10-1-1 - 2.58 GAA - .900 Save %
Jordan Switzer - 32 GP - 23-6-2-0 - 2.65 GAA - .901 Save %
Swift Current
Reid Dyck - 47 GP - 22-21-1-1 - 3.56 GAA - .890 Save %
Joey Rocha - 27 GP -13-9-0-1 - 3.51 GAA - .888 Save %
Special Teams
Power Play
Medicine Hat - 67/240 - 27.9% (4th)
Swift Current - 54/232 - 23.3% (12th)
Penalty Kill
Medicine Hat - 212/265 - 80.0% (4th)
Swift Current - 167/223 - 74.9% (16th)
Head-To-Head
Record
Medicine Hat - 2-2-0-0
Home - 1-1-0-0
Away - 1-1-0-0
Swift Current - 2-2-0-0
Home - 1-1-0-0
Away - 1-1-0-0
Games This Season
Swift Current 5 @ Medicine Hat 3 (Feb 7 2025)
Swift Current 2 @ Medicine Hat 5 (Jan 4 2025)
Medicine Hat 1 @ Swift Current 4 (Jan 3 2025)
Medicine Hat 4 @ Swift Current 3 (Dec 4 2024)
Leading Scorers
Medicine Hat
Oasiz Wiesblatt - 4 GP - 3 G - 3 A - 6 PTS
Mathew Ward - 4 GP - 3 G - 2 A - 5 PTS
Gavin McKenna - 2 GP - 2 G - 2 A - 4 PTS
Swift Current
Luke Mistelbacher - 4 GP - 9 G - 2 A - 11 PTS
Clarke Caswell - 4 GP - 1 G - 6 A - 7 PTS
Rylan Gould - 4 GP - 2 G - 3 A - 5 PTS
Goaltenders
Medicine Hat
Harrison Meneghin - 1 GP - 0-1-0-0 - 4.14 GAA - .818 Save %
Jordan Switzer - 3 GP - 2-1-0-0 - 2.69 GAA - .879 Save %
Swift Current
Reid Dyck - 3 GP - 1-2-0-0 - 3.05 GAA - .909 Save %
Joey Rocha - 1 GP -1-0-0-0 - 3.00 GAA - .900 Save %
Special Teams
Power Play
Medicine Hat - 3/9 - 33.3%
Swift Current - 3/9 - 33.3%
Penalty Kill
Medicine Hat - 6/9 - 66.7%
Swift Current - 6/9 - 66.7%
Series Schedule
Game Visitor Home Date Time (MST)
1 Swift Current @ Medicine Hat Friday, March 28 7:00 PM
2 Swift Current @ Medicine Hat Saturday, March 29 7:00 PM
3 Medicine Hat @ Swift Current Tuesday, April 1 7:00 PM
4 Medicine Hat @ Swift Current Wednesday, April 2 7:00 PM
5* Swift Current @ Medicine Hat Friday, April 4 7:00 PM
6* Medicine Hat @ Swift Current Sunday, April 6 5:00 PM
7* Swift Current @ Medicine Hat Tuesday, April 8 7:00 PM
* If necessary
Western Hockey League Stories from March 26, 2025
- Swift Current Broncos Announce Playoff Plans for First-Round Clash with Medicine Hat - Swift Current Broncos
- 10 Wenatchee Wild Alumni Advance to NCAA Division I Tournament - Wenatchee Wild
- Round 1 Preview: Cougars vs. Winterhawks - Prince George Cougars
- Series Preview: Winterhawks Ready to Take on Cougars - Portland Winterhawks
- Playoff Series Preview - Round 1 vs Swift Current - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Thorpe Impresses During Rookie Year - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Charlie Elick signs three-year, entry-level contract with Columbus Blue Jackets - Tri-City Americans
- St. Louis Blues Re-Assign Jakub Stancl to AHL Affiliate - Kelowna Rockets
- Wheat Kings Head to Virden for Playoff Hockey - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Manitoba Native Cole Slobodian Back for Playoff Encore - Portland Winterhawks
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